Papa Gede's

Overview

A voodoo-inspired, jungle-walled cocktail bar that can tempt you from any dinner plans with popcorn and a glass (or several) of absinthe, Papa Gede's is owned, designed and run by a trio of seasoned hospos: husband-and-wife team Lara Dignam (ex-Red Lantern) and Michael Dhinse (ex-Grandma's), and their friend Joshua Ng (ex-Rover).

The cocktail list is a generous mix of classics and signatures, including a Zombie that promises to resurrect the dead. Some bizarre names dominate the menu, like the titillating Centrefold (a golden glass of marigold vodka, passionfruit, lemon, cucumber and coconut water soda with a topping of 'champagne' jelly), or the hopefully not prophetic Double Demerits (a surprisingly sharp mix of cognac, triple sec, guava cryo-concentrate, lemon and pomegranate, finished with a dusting of toasted fennel seeds).

The one thing that sets Papa Gede's apart from the rest of Sydney's small bar scene? Its range of international and homegrown absinthes. The proprietors welcome newcomers to the absinthe game. "What I really like about it is that absinthe has this really terrible reputation... [We are] giving people the opportunity to do it in a new fashion," says Dignam. The added theatre of the absinthe ritual — featuring ornate glassware, four-tapped absinthe fountains and burning sugar cubes — will elevate your post-work drinks to a whole new level.

Although ostensibly a cocktail bar, including a selection of aged cocktails — matured for one month and stirred upon request — vinophiles aren't left behind, with a generous wine list featuring local and foreign drops. In the fridge, there is also a range of local brews to choose from. As a venue that worships at the altar of history's greatest party animal, Papa Gede — who also happens to be the embodiment of death, a fan of cheap cigars, apples, and top hats — it's little wonder that music is also a big deal here. Expect live music sets from top local blues, jazz, reggae, soul and R&B artists.

Images: Cassandra Hannigan